Mr. Green Runs

Mr. Green Runs

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Plot

While Arnold is shopping at Green's Meats, Grandpa's packard falls into a huge pothole. Mr. Green complains that he has been trying to reach City Councilman Gladhand, but his assistant Lorraine keeps telling him he is busy at lunch. Tired of getting brushed off, he and Arnold visit the councilman's office: it is revealed that Gladhand seemingly spends all his time entertaining rich hot shots who could fund him. He barely pays attention to Mr. Green and Arnold, only taking the time to snap a picture with both of them for publicity purposes. The next day, a public works car appears and two men throw a flimsy wooden board over the pothole: Grandpa's car appears and falls through the wood. Outraged at the poor job Gladhand has done, Mr. Green pronounces an impassioned speech, and is cheered on by the people on the street to run for office, with Arnold as his campaign manager.

Gladhand is ahead in the polls and appears on television using a complex speech: Mr. Green feels intimidated by this and thinks he should do the same. He does so at the debate, but as he cannot even understand his own words, the plan quickly backfires and the people grow angry. Mr. Green quickly excuses himself, and tells Arnold backstage that he cannot fool anyone and does not know how to take care of the city. Arnold explains that nobody wants to be fooled, they just want him to be himself. He advises Mr. Green to imagine the neighborhood as a big meat shop, and the butcher prepares to debate once more. Back on stage, he talks about how he pays attention to preparing meat: his simple, frank approach quickly wins the people over. Gladhand starts tripping over his big fancy words and is ridiculed. When asked about the problems in the neighborhood, Mr. Green delivers an impassionate speech of how he would deal with the problems the same way he does his job, to the crowd's approval. A frustrated Gladhand screeches that his opponent is just a butcher talking about meat, but the crowd ignores him.

Mr. Green continues to use the frank approach to great success. A desperate Gladhand approaches Arnold on his way home, asking for his help. He tells him that he wants Mr. Green to quit the race; if he does, Gladhand will fix the pothole problem and throw a big party for him and his friends. Arnold is obviously affronted by this and reminds the councilman of his shortcomings, leaving Gladhand to shout after him begging him.
Later that night, Mr. Green's supporters (including Gladhand's former assistant Lorraine) are gathered in the butcher shop awaiting the results. The results come through, declaring Mr. Green the winner, and he thanks Arnold for helping him and for being a good friend. As the people celebrate, a crying Gladhand can be seen outside attempting to call out Lorraine: she draws the curtains on him and the former councilman sulks in tears, only to fall into the pothole he refused to fill outside Green's Meats.

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Trivia

Councilman Gladhand is voiced by John O'Hurley. He is best known as J. Peterman in the TV series Seinfeld.

Councilman Gladhand said he would do something "ex post facto"; loosely translated, it means "after the fact". The US Constitution prohibits the passing of any "ex post facto law", which is a law making something done in the past illegal.